Saturday, January 11, 2014

S'mores cupcakes

I know. I did not torch them :(I made them for Forth of July, and they were sitting in my folder since then. We had bunch of kids coming over before fireworks, and I didn't check my torch. Everything was ready. BBQ was on the grill, watermelon in the fridge, firecrackers were ready, and bunch of kids were about to eat.I baked cupcakes, made marshmallow meringue, and I could not wait for the fun part. Torching them, and looking how that snow white thick, glossy foam becomes caramelized, dramatic and amazing looking. And my torch was dead. I was so disappointed, I still am.So please, before you make them, have your torch ready. Mine was empty, no gas left. Kids were staring with their eyes wide open, and I did not have time to go and get new one. I just snapped 2-3 pictures, and the cupcakes were gone.

For the graham cracker base:

1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs

5 tablespoons melted butter

2 tablespoons sugar

Preheat oven to 350F/180C. Line muffin pan with 24 baking cups. Mix all of the ingredients, and place a tablespoon of mixture into each baking cup. Press down crumb mixture with the spoon until it forms a solid crust. Bake for 5 min, and cool.

For chocolate cupcakes:

1 3/4 cups flour

3/4 cup cocoa

1 1/4 cups sugar2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

2 lightly beaten eggs

1 cup yogurt

2/3 cup melted butter

1 cup strong coffee

1 teaspoon vanilla

Sift dry ingredients. Add wet ingredients, and mix just until you break down the lumps. Batter will be liquidy.

Heat the cream in a small saucepan over medium heat. Just bring it to a boil, and pour it immediately over chopped chocolate. Let it stand for a few minutes. Stir gently until chocolate is melted and smooth. Set it aside to cool.When cupcakes are cooled, dip each one into the chocolate glaze. Let it harden a little bit.

For marshmallow meringue:6 egg whites

1 1/2 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon of gelatin

1 tablespoon water

Bloom gelatin in 1 tablespoon of water. Mix egg whites with sugar, and place in the top of the double boiler. Mix it constantly with the whisk until sugar is dissolved and mixture reaches 71C/160F. Add bloomed melted gelatin, and beat with your whisk attachment on medium high sped until mixture cools and doubles in volume. It should form stiff peaks, about 10 min.

Fill a pastry bag with the marshmallow meringue and pipe the meringue on top of the cupcake. Lightly toast the marshmallow meringue using a kitchen torch.